[littlemanpoet]

You raise good thought provoking questions, Nar, as can of course be expected. I was in haste when I answered your reply the first time, and did not do it justice. I'll try again.

I hesitate to go so far as labeling what Tolkien is doing as using or evoking a 'Gaia' notion (or theory). I think any use of imagery that bodily personifies middle earth is what I'm talking about.

I appreciate your ideas on Caradhras (Carcaras?). Yes, the marshes could be an individual wounded body, too, as Caradhras is an individual mountain with his own personality.

Here's another one regarding the Emyn Muil:
the hills' "broken feet". JRRT could have written something more prosaic and cliche such as "boulder strewn" or "rugged terrain", but he finds a way to give the hills personality, albeit maimed.

To quote your quote:

low scrubby trees lurked and clung ...grass-tussocks fought with stones...withered mosses crawled...the last living things gave up their struggle...

Here again these living plants are alive and suffering in an almost mammalian way.

Thanks, Tigerlilly, for that quote. I remember it well. I'll be glad, piosenniel, to get to Ithilien - maybe those trees will come to life - almost as in Fangorn...

[img]smilies/wink.gif[/img] Second Nazgul, thanks for the pimples and beard. Reminds me of my own face... [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]